Beef jerky can go one of two ways. You might find it to be the tastiest, spicier, and most delectable thing you’ve ever eaten. Or it can taste like toughened shoe leather.
Beef jerky is utterly delicious when it’s made correctly. One of the biggest advantages of making your own jerky is that. You can cook it to your desired tenderness and add any spices you like.
We’ll show you how to make beef jerky the right way, focusing on how long to dehydrate your meat treats.
Determining How Long To Dehydrate Jerky
You must pay attention to the dehydrating process when making anything, not just jerky. We can estimate a time that is roughly accurate, but to get your jerky perfectly dehydrated, you’ll need to check it closer to the end.
Depending on a number of factors, dehydrating jerky typically takes between 5 and 15 hours.
This recipe for beef jerky, which uses a straightforward marinade and needs to dry for about 6 to 10 hours, serves as an example.
Factors Affecting Jerky Drying Times
Changing certain factors will enable you to more accurately predict the drying time (with practice). Certain factors can either shorten or lengthen the time needed to dehydrate any jerky.
Thickness: The thickness of the meat will affect the drying time, just as it does with any dehydrating process. Simply put, your jerky will take longer to dehydrate if it is thicker.
Slice the jerky less than 1/8 inch thick (or 3mm) but more than 1/4 inch thick (or 6mm). This range will provide good texture without making it too challenging to completely dry the jerky.
Dehydration method: The length of time it takes to dehydrate jerky depends on whether you dry it in a special food dehydrator, an oven, or even the sun. The dehydrator method is the quickest and most effective; sun drying and oven drying will typically take longer because there is less airflow.
Marinade If you marinate the meat with a wet coating, the marinade must dry out before the jerky can start to dry.
The amount of moisture in the meat before drying is also impacted by salt levels. Salt helps draw flavor from the marinade or rub into the jerky while simultaneously removing moisture from the meat.
Dehydrator Temperature: The temperature in which you need to dehydrate jerky is important. To make meat safe to eat and kill possible pathogens the jerky needs to be heated, all the way through, to 160°F / 71°C and 165°F / 74°C for poultry.
When this temperature is reached internally, reduce the heat used to dehydrate the jerky to between 130°F and 140°F. Although the meat will dehydrate more quickly at a higher temperature, the texture will be less palatable and more brittle.
How To Check If Your Jerky Is Done – Jerky Doneness Tests
Testing and sampling are essentially involved when determining whether something is “done.” Regularly and especially near the end of drying, you must monitor the jerky’s progress.
There are a few popular techniques that are effective for determining whether the jerky is dried, and they are as follows:
The bend test is the easiest method to use when you think you need to determine when your jerky is finished.
Take a piece of jerky out of the dehydrator and allow it to cool for five to ten minutes before performing the bend test.
When the jerky has cooled, bend it at a 90-degree angle to check for any moisture being sucked out. If there is the jerky needs to dry more.
When the meat is bent, jerky that has been properly dried should almost fray but not snap or crack.
Give the jerky a chew after satisfying yourself that it can be bent.
It should have a chewy, nearly leather-like texture without being soft or wet. It shouldn’t be brittle or pointy as this would suggest over-drying.
When the jerky is fully dehydrated, store it properly to extend its shelf life.
How to Make Beef Jerky with a DEHYDRATOR
FAQ
How do you know when beef jerky is done dehydrating?
The jerky should bend but not break. The “bend test” is the most crucial factor in determining whether jerky is finished. Bend the same test piece in half to check its flexibility while handling it (ideally at or near room temperature). The jerky ought to flex, then eventually snap, but not break off.
How long and what temp do you dehydrate jerky?
Dehydrate it At this point, remove the meat from the marinade, spread it out in the dehydrator, and dry it completely by dehydrating it at 160°F (71°C) for 6 to 8 hours.
Should I flip my beef jerky in the dehydrator?
Yes, to ensure even drying and smoke penetration, you should rotate them every hour or so. To ensure proper airflow through the smoker, you should also slightly open the dampers. Because it lacks a fan like the dehydrator, you must take that into consideration.
Is 3 hours enough for beef jerky?
Place the marinated meat in a single layer on the wire racks. Bake the meat until it is completely dried out, about 3 to 4 hours, turning the pans halfway through.